Automatic railway-signal



(No MbdeL) T. J. COPE. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 495,308. PatenteQApr. 11 1893.

WITNESSES: v

UNITED STATES PATENT QF IQE.

THOMAS J. COPE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC RAiLWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,308, dated April11, 1893.

Application filed January 19, 1892. Serial No. 418,531. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THOMAS J. COPE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Railway-Signals, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of novel means for automatically operating arailway signal, whereby the semaphore may be set to indicate danger, andprevent a train from following until the previous train has cleared theblock, and the semaphore is again returned to its normal position.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a railway signal embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of pumping mechanismemployed, on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

Referring to the drawings:A designates a semaphore or signal armsuitably mounted or pivoted on a post or standard B, and having pivotedto it a rod or bar 0, whose lower end has attached or pivoted to it acrankshaft D, which is suitably mounted on the road bed in such mannerthat the limb E of said shaft is in the path of the flange of a carwheel or other projection or attachment on a car. On the side of saidbar 0 are teeth F, which are adapted to be engaged by the nose G of thedog H, which latter is mounted on the standard B, and has its lower endconnected with the stem J of the piston K, the barrel K which inclosesthe same being suitably supported on the road-bed, and having connectedwith it an ainconveying pipe L, which is in communication with a pumpingapparatus M in the cylinder of which is a plunger or follower N, whoseupper end carries a shoe P, which latter is so disposed that it may alsobe engaged by the flange of the car wheel or other projection orattachment on the car.

The operation is as follows :-When a car reaches the arm E of thecrank-shaft D, the flange of the wheel or projection or attachment onthe car strikes said arm and thereby turns the shaft, causing thedepression of the bar 0, and the elevation of the semaphore to aposition of danger, so that a train that may follow is signaled not toproceed. As the bar 0 descends, the teeth F ride freely on the nose ofthe dog until the bar is at its lowest point, when the dog engaging withthe proper tooth F, prevents the ascent of said bar, and renders thesemaphore immovable. After a train has passed the proper distance, sayat or about the end of a block, the shoes P are engaged by the flange ofthe wheel or projection or attachment on the car, so that a blast of airis injected through the pipe L against the piston K, thus operating thedog H, whereby its nose clears the tooth of the bar C, When the latterunder the action of a spring Q on the shaft D, elevates the same andlowers the semaphore, as shown by the dotted lines. In order to restorethe dog to its normal position, a spring R is connected with thestandard B and bears against the dog, so that the nose thereof is in thepath of the teeth F, for subsequent engagement therewith. In order toease the motion of the semaphore, I interpose a spring S between the bar0 and the end of the semaphore, thus preventing sudden and injuriousoperation of the former.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An automatic railway signal having a pivoted semaphore, a barconnected at its upper end to said semaphore, and provided with ratchetteeth on one side, a crank shaft having a limb at one end suitablypivoted'to the lower end of said bar, and provided at the other end-witha limb adapted to be engaged by a projection on a car,a pivoted doghaving a nose engaging said teeth on the bar, a spring for normallykeeping said nose in engagement with said teeth, and a spring interposedbetween the upper end of said bar and said semaphore, said parts beingcombined substantially as described.

2. An automatic railway signal consisting of a pivoted semaphore, anoscillating crank shaft with a limb adapted to be engaged by aprojection on a car, a rod having ratchet teeth 0nitsside,and connectedatits upper end a shoe adapted to be depressed by contact to saidsemaphore by a spring, and its lower with a projectingpart of the car,said parts end to said shaft, a pivoted dog adapted to being combinedsubstantially as described.

ride over the teeth on the lowering of the THOMAS J. COPE. 5 bar, aspring adapted to keep said dog in en- Witnesses:

gagement with said teeth, and a pneumatic JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM,

device connected with said dog, and having R. H. GRAESER.

